Working Wild U

Western Landowners Alliance and Montana State University Extension
  • 4.9 (96)
  • Natural Sciences
  • Monthly Series

Working Wild U takes you out into the field, forest and range with the people and wildlife of the American West to tell you the big stories at the heart of the struggle to sustain resilient and connected landscapes and communities. We share immersive stories at the crossroads of culture and science focused on the challenges and successes of sharing and managing farms and ranches with wildlife. If you are passionate about open spaces, wild places and healthy communities that sustain people and wildlife, listen in.

See All

  1. Episode 1

    Grizzly bears are back - now what?

    Grizzly bears are making a remarkable comeback across the American West. After decades of recovery, they're expanding into places they haven't occupied for generations - working ranches, rural communities, and the landscapes where people make their living. So what happens when one of North America's most iconic predators returns? In the third season premiere of Working Wild University, we trace the story of the grizzly bear - from its deep history on the continent, through near-extirpation, to one of the greatest wildlife recoveries in U.S. history. Along the way, we explore a question that will shape the entire season: Where do grizzly bears belong, and who gets to decide? Through conversations with historians, ranchers, wildlife experts, and community leaders, we examine how conservation success has created a new set of challenges - and why the next chapter of grizzlies is as much about people as it is about bears. Show notes — Topics discussed: The Blackfoot Challenge, short faced bears of the ice age, Lewis and Clark's encounters with grizzly bears, grizzly bear decline and recovery, Endangered Species Act, tribal perspective (Blackfeet Nation), Richard Nixon's landmark environmental legislation, Jim Stone's ranch in the Blackfoot Valley in western Montana, how collaborative conservation works, the next chapter of grizzly bear conservation Featuring: Jim Stone (rancher, board chair of the Blackfoot Challenge, Dan Flores (Western historian, author of Wild New World, host of Meateater's The American West, Joe Kipp (tribal leader and rancher on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana), David Diamond (leads the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee) — Cover art: "Hunting of the Grizzly Bear," Karl Bodmer (1809–1893) Working Wild University is a production of Western Landowners Alliance and Dr. Jared Beaver of Montana State University Extension, and a proud part of Natural Resources University podcast network.  Hosted by Hallie Mahowald and Jared Beaver; Produced by Zach Altman; Editing by Kathleen Shannon and Zach Altman; Executive producers: Louis Wertz, Jared Beaver, Hallie Mahowald and Erik Kalsta

  2. Episode 2

    Beyond Yellowstone: Grizzlies, the Craighead Brothers, and the Rise of Modern Wildlife Ecology

    The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the defining concepts in wildlife conservation. But where did it come from? In the 1950s, Frank and John Craighead pioneered modern grizzly bear research, using radio telemetry to follow bears far beyond the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park. Their work revealed that grizzlies depended on a much larger, connected landscape (including working lands) and helped introduce the concept of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem - an idea that continues to guide wildlife conservation and grizzly bear management today. Show notes — Topics discussed: Frank and John Craighead, Aldo Leopold's 'Sand County Almanac', the birth of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem as a concept, pioneering grizzly bear research and "cowboy biology," Yellowstone's garbage dumps, the rise of ecosystem-based conservation, radio telemetry and grizzly bear research, Craighead Institute, the conflict between the Craigheads and the National Park Service, the legacy of the Craigheads' work, Endangered Species Act, Yellowstone's role in wildlife conservation Featuring: Dan Flores (Western historian, author of Wild New World, host of Meateater's The American West, Dan Tyres ( Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear habitat coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service,  adjunct professor at Montana State University), Kerry Gunther (Bear Management Biologist for Yellowstone National Park). — Cover art: courtesy of the Craighead Institute Working Wild University is a production of Western Landowners Alliance and Dr. Jared Beaver of Montana State University Extension, and a proud part of Natural Resources University podcast network.  Hosted by Hallie Mahowald and Jared Beaver; Produced by Zach Altman; Editing by Kathleen Shannon and Zach Altman; Executive producers: Louis Wertz, Jared Beaver, Hallie Mahowald and Erik Kalsta. Special thanks to the Archives and Special Collections at Montana State University Library for granting access to the Frank Craighead Collection.

  3. Season 3 Trailer

    Season 3 Trailer: Grizzly Bears in the Modern West

    Grizzly bears are making a comeback - and their return is one of North America's greatest conservation success stories. But as bears expand into places they haven't occupied in generations, new questions emerge. Where do bears belong in the modern West? What does it actually take to share a landscape with a large carnivore? And who bears the costs and responsibilities of recovery? This season on Working Wild University, we're traveling from Wyoming ranches to Montana communities, talking with ranchers, wildlife managers, scientists, tribal leaders, conservationists, and the people living and working in bear country every day. The future of grizzly bears isn't just about bears. It's also about us.   -- First episode launches Tuesday, July 28th 2026. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Working Wild University is a production of Western Landowners Alliance and Dr. Jared Beaver of Montana State University Extension, and a proud part of Natural Resources University podcast network.

    Season 3 Trailer: Grizzly Bears in the Modern West
See All Season 3 (3)

Trailers

4.9
out of 5
96 Ratings

About

Working Wild U takes you out into the field, forest and range with the people and wildlife of the American West to tell you the big stories at the heart of the struggle to sustain resilient and connected landscapes and communities. We share immersive stories at the crossroads of culture and science focused on the challenges and successes of sharing and managing farms and ranches with wildlife. If you are passionate about open spaces, wild places and healthy communities that sustain people and wildlife, listen in.

Information

  • Creator
    Western Landowners Alliance and Montana State University Extension
  • Episodes
    34
  • Seasons
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Working Wild U

You Might Also Like